CWG 2010 Finals – Malaysians and India share titles

Malaysia and India shared the 5 titles on Thursday, on the last day of the badminton competition in Siri Fort complex during the XIXth Commonwealth Games. India took both the women’s medals courtesy of Saina and the duo of Gutta/Ponnappa while Koo Kien Keat scooped two gold, leaving England with 3 silver medals and third spot in the overall medal tally, one behind India.

By Raphael Sachetat.  Photos: Sukumar for Badmintonphoto (live)

They came, they saw, they conquered. Malaysians were favourites for most titles and they go back to Kuala Lumpur with 3 gold and 1 silver on top of the team gold.  It was not a bad haul, especially with Wong Pei Tty on the bench and Chin Eei Hui still suffering from a recurrent knee injury.

The hero of the day was Koo Kien Keat, who clinched two gold medals, twice facing another SOLIBAD ambassador – Nathan Robertson. But on court, it was all for the victory. And Koo Kien Keat finally edged out his opponent both in the mixed doubles and the men’s doubles for the last match of the day.

The first game of the mixed final proved pivotal as Koo and Chin (pictured) frustrated Robertson and Wallwork with excellent defensive play before clinching the game 22-20. Wallwork – who was attempting to fill the shoes of Gail Emms, who had won gold in Melbourne 4 years ago with Nathan – was hoping for a better fate than in the women’s doubles where she and Gabrielle White missed out on bronze the previous evening. But the Malaysians proved too strong and Wallwork and Robertson (pictured below) had to be content with silver to go along with their team bronze from last week.

“The conditions were difficult but it was this way from the very beginning. Koo played very well and we just couldn’t put the shuttles down. Their defense was amazing. I’m disappointed, but also happy for my first CWG to have gotten the silver medal,” Wallwork told Badzine.

In the men’s doubles, Robertson was faced one again by his nemesis Koo Kien Keat who, along with partner Tan Boon Heong, ended England’s hope of a gold medal as the Malaysians won the battle of the veterans in straight games.

Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa battled past Singaporean duo of Shinta Mulia Sari and Yao Lei in straight games to become India’s first women’s doubles pair to win a gold medal in the badminton event of the Commonwealth Games here on Thursday.

In the women’s singles the overwhelming favourite Saina Nehwal (pictured), was pushed to the brink in an epic final before battling back from match point down against Malaysia’s Wong Mew Choo. After losing the opening game to 19, the top-seeded Indian looked to be heading for a silver medal before showing her true mettle and grit to claw her way back in front of her home crowd before taking the gold medal with a 21-13 win in the deciding set.

“This is the toughest match I have ever played. I have never saved a match point before. It was tough for me to come back into the match after being a game down,” said Nehwal to the local media Thai Indian.

Asked how difficult it was for her to make a comeback in the match, Nehwal said: “I was down matchpoint. But I did not lose hope. I am really happy I came back strong in the third. It was the final match. This is a great feeling. I am also happy about the fact that we gave the country two gold medals from badminton. I am also proud that the two gold medals helped India finish second in the Commonwealth Games at home”

In the men’s singles, in the battle of the two top seeds, England’s Rajiv Ouseph was unable to halt the juggernaut that is Malaysia’s world number 1 Lee Chong Wei. The Englishman had no answers to the relentless pressure from Chong Wei and the Malaysian collected his gold medal with a 2-game demolition of England’s top shuttler.

Finals results

XD: Koo Kien Keat / Chin Eei Hui (MAS) beat Nathan Robertson / Jenny Wallwork (ENG) : 22-20, 21-12
WD: Jwala Gutta / Ashwini Ponnapa (IND) beat Yao Lei / Shinta Mulia Sari (SIN) : 21-16, 21-19
MS: Lee Chong Wei (MAS) beat Rajiv Ouseph (ENG):  21-10, 21-8
MD: Koo Kien Keat / Tan Boon Heong (MAS) beat Anthony Clark / Nathan Robertson (ENG): 21-19, 21-14
WS: Saina Nehwal (IND)  beat Wong Mew Choo (MAS) : 19-21, 22-20, 21-13

Mixed doubles:
GOLD: Koo/Chin (MAS)
SILVER: Robertson/Wallwork (ENG)
BRONZE: Triyachart/Yao (SIN)

Women’s doubles:
GOLD: Gutta/Ponnapa (IND)
SILVER: Yao/Sari (SIN)
BRONZE: Wilson Smith/Tian (AUS)

Men’s singles:
GOLD: Lee Chong Wei (MAS)
SILVER: Rajiv Ouseph (ENG)
BRONZE: Kashyap Parupalli (IND)

Women’s singles:
GOLD: Saina Nehwal (IND)
SILVER: Wong Mew Choo (MAS)
BRONZE: Elisabeth Cann (ENG)

Men’s doubles:
GOLD: Koo/Tan (MAS)
SILVER: Robertson/Clark (ENG)
BRONZE: Saputra/Wijaya (SIN)

Team event:

GOLD: Malaysia
SILVER: India
BRONZE: England